When an Angel Loves a Fool
by Kevin
Summary: It's April Fools Day in Konoha! Find out how everybody's favorite loudmouthed shinobi celebrates his favorite holiday!


**A/N: Well, I got serious writer's block with my other story, so I put that on hiatus while I wrote this little oneshot to celebrate April Fools day. Just a little something that's been on my mind lately, so I hope you all enjoy it! **

-----When an Angel loves a Fool-----

A cool, gentle breeze swept across the tops of the trees, calmly blowing into the Village Hidden in the Leaves. The warm, yellow sun was slowly climbing above the horizon; its brightness encompassing the world below. As the lone cloud lazily drifted across the sky, the beautiful song of the morning birds choired through the forest. Slowly the sunlight crept through a window in the village, falling upon a lump hidden in a sheet. As the object stirred, it threw away the blanket revealing a rather handsome face of a young shinobi. His blonde hair shining gold in the warmth of the spring sky, the boy's eyes slowly fluttered open. Smiling gently, the boy looked up to his calendar, where a certain day was circled in a dark red ink.

"So, it finally came. My favorite holiday of the year." Grinning ear to ear, the boy leapt from his bed, his bare feet barely touching the cold wood floor before he began sprinting toward his bathroom. Locking the door behind him, he quickly splashed some cold water on his face to wake himself up. Clad in nothing but a pair of orange boxers, his peach skin shone with the blazing flames of youth. His cerulean blue eyes staring back at him through the mirror above the sink, he fingered the jewel at the end of his necklace. "I guess it's decided. To Obaa-chan's place it is!"

Drying himself off with a towel, the boy calmly walked toward his closet. Careful not to stub his toe on any of the various scrolls and furniture that was arranged haphazardly around his apartment, he soon came to a stop as he opened a door, only to have a pile of his old, dirty jackets fall on top of him. Struggling beneath the mound of black and orange, he was finally able to crawl his way out as he gasped for breath.

"Oh Kami-sama! I really should do laundry sometime soon. All my clothes stink like month old ramen!" Climbing to his feet, he kicked everything out of his way so he could reach inside his closet. "Ano, I don't have a single clean shirt?" Searching high and low, all he could find were old jackets and pants, each one stuffed in a corner or even stuck to the wall. Sighing in defeat, he bend down and picked up a couple of the jackets, sniffing each one as he did. After some time he seemed to be satisfied with one of them as he slung it over his shoulder and walked over to his bed. Sliding his pants on, the boy was getting ready to show his conniving mind to the whole village.

"To think, it's been three years since I've been able to celebrate this time of year. I've got a lot of catching up to do if I want to get my reputation back." Quickly tugging his black tee shirt over his head, he felt his stomach growl as soon as he reached for his jacket. "Heh, I suppose I should get something to eat. Celebrating can wait just a few more minutes." Walking into his kitchenette, he poured some water into his lone saucepan. Turning his stove on, he sat at his dining table and began twiddling his thumbs.

"Ano, after Obaa-chan, who should be next?" Lost in his own little world, he was shaken awake when he noticed his water boiling over. Quickly leaping to his feet, he turned the flames down and hastily poured his ramen in the pan, stirring as he went. Brushing away the sweat that had formed on his forehead, he soon grinned again as he began to smell the wonderful scent of his breakfast.

Draining the water into his kitchen sink, he dumped the contents of his pan into a bowl that happened to be lying on his table. Slouching down into his chair, he picked up his favorite pair of chopsticks. Elegantly designed, they were a gift he had received when he was a child, and a green frog adorned each handle. Smiling as he remembered the day he found them wrapped outside his door, he never knew who gave them to him. The only hint he had was that they smelled of lilacs, an aroma he had grown to love over the years.

"To think, I love gardening because of something so simple. Maybe one day I'll find the person who gave these to me." Pushing the thoughts aside, he took a deep sniff of his meal, and the sound that left his lips could only be described as a mix between a moan and a sigh. "Itadekimasu!" Stuffing his face full of noodles so fast that the broth was trickling down his chin, he seemed unaware of the mess he was making. Savoring the taste, he downed the rest of the contents before he got up to leave. "Yoshi! I'm ready to go now!"

Returning to his bed, he grabbed his jacket and threw it across his shoulders, zipping it up as he walked toward his door. Slipping his feet into his sandals, he took a deep breath before he opened the front door. Swinging it open, he stepped out to great the world. Turning to walk down the hall, his grin seemed to grow even wider with each step he took.

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"I can't believe her! She knew today was his favorite day, and here she had to go and do this." Shaking her head in disbelief, a raven haired kunoichi couldn't believe what she saw. Sprawled out before her was the most influential person in the entire village. Her blonde hair ruffled and frizzy, she was fast asleep at her desk, a puddle of drool drenching the important documents she decided to use as a pillow, her sake bottle empty and lying flat. Rubbing her temples, the kunoichi turned on her heels to leave the office. "It looks like I'll have to go get some anti-oxidants from the hospital."

As soon as she left, a mysterious figure crept out from the shadows. His face hidden by a mask, he was garbed entirely in black. Slowly he edged toward the sleeping woman, careful not to make a noise to wake her. As he made his way around her desk, he came to a stop directly by her side. A grin apparent behind his mask, he slowly reached into his weapons pouch…

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Walking through the hallways of the Hokage's building, the blonde haired shinobi was wearing his ever-present grin. His hands clasped behind his head, he slowly marched along the corridors without a single care in the world.

"Naruto! What are you doing here?" Nearly leaping out of his skin, the boy quickly turned around only to find a girl his age staring back at him. Her pink hair reaching down to her shoulders, she was dressed in a blood red dress and knee-high black boots. Feeling his heart leap into his throat, he put on the best smile he could.

"Ohayo, Sakura-chan! I was just here to see Tsunade-baa-chan, but she was sleeping so I decided to come back later." No sooner did the words leave his mouth did she press her face towards his, her eyes staring scornfully into his.

"I know you better than that, Naruto. I wouldn't be surprised if I walked in there and discovered Tsunade-sama had ink markings all over her face." Narrowing her eyes at him, he only seemed to become more lax. Waving his hands before him, she couldn't shake the suspicion that he was up to something.

"I swear, I did nothing of the sort! I've grown out of all those childish pranks." Looking for any deceit in his eyes, she sighed as she found none. Crossing her arms, she glared at him as he walked past her.

"If I find anything, you're dead meat, Naruto." Not giving him time to react, she stormed off toward the Hokage's office. Unbeknownst to her, however, the shinobi she had just been ridiculing was grinning deviously behind her.

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'_Damn that Naruto! He better not have done anything…_' Coming to a halt at the solid oak door, the pink haired kunoichi gently rapped her knuckled against the wood. Waiting for an answer, a million thoughts were racing through her mind. Taking a deep breath, she slowly turned the knob and cracked the door open. "Tsunade-sama, it's me, Sakura. I'm coming in now." Without a sound coming from the other side, she eased herself inside the room, making sure that she didn't trigger any traps that he might have set earlier.

'_Hmm…it looks safe in here. Perhaps Naruto was right when he said he outgrew that immature behavior._' Searching high and low for anything out of the ordinary, she couldn't be too cautious. Inch by inch she walked toward the blonde haired kunoichi, until she came to rest at the opposite side of her desk. Smiling at the sleeping woman, she must have passed out during the early morning. When she saw what the Hokage was holding, however, she became even more confused. The kunoichi's right hand was posed on top of her desk, a pen clasped between her fingers as if she were to write with it.

'_She fell asleep signing these documents? Shizune must have been happy to see that. Well, I better put that pen away before she gets ink all over the desk._' Reaching over, she picked it up in her hand, but as soon as her skin touched it she felt something sticky on her fingers. "What the hell?!" Panicking, Sakura began shaking the pen, trying to get it loose, but to no avail. "Why won't it come off?!" Suddenly she shook it even harder, and the cap flew off, spraying ink all over, including the Hokage's sleeping face.

"Nani?!" Scared out of her mind, she quickly stepped back only to trip over her own feet, falling directly into the chair behind her. As soon as she touched it, the seat fell out beneath her, causing her to get stuck in the frame. Kicking and thrashing about, the toe of her boot smashed against the desk, instantly waking the sleeping kunoichi.

"Ugh…w-what's going on?" Rubbing her eyes to adjust them to the morning sun, the blonde haired woman was shocked when her hands glided across her skin. Pulling them away, she could see the dark blue ink coating them. Eyes wide in surprise, she quickly turned toward the window behind her to see her reflection, and let out a scream when she saw her face. "Who the hell did this to me?!" Spinning on her heels, she nearly missed the kunoichi struggling to free herself from her predicament. "Sakura…"

"I-it wasn't me!!" The pink haired girl's green eyes meeting her sensei's brown, what had really happened struck her like a ton of bricks. Unable to move under the older woman's cold stare, all she could do was feel the rage at a certain shinobi escalate to an unknown level. "NARUTO!!!"

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His name echoing through his head, Naruto turned as he exited the Hokage's building. Grinning as he looked up at the top floor, he soon took off before anyone could question him. Laughing as he rounded a corner, he bent over resting his hands on his knees as he panted, trying to catch his breath.

"That was perfect! I can't believe Sakura-chan fell for it!" Still chuckling to himself, he slid against the wall until he was sitting. Stretching his legs out, he noticed some paper lying in the dirt before him. "Huh? What's this?" Picking it up, he realized it felt much thicker than a normal piece of trash. What was written on it was what caught his attention. "It's a letter, and it's got my name on it…" Wasting no time, he hastily tore open the envelope and unfolded the note. Reading it to himself, his couldn't believe his eyes.

_To my dearest Naruto-kun,_

_I have been watching you. I saw what you did to Tsunade-sama and Sakura. While I have no intentions of telling either of them that you were the culprit, do know that your behavior is quite misfortunate. If you are to continue to act as reckless as you are now, know this: I will get you._

Lowering his head, a soft chuckling escaped his lips. Tapping the letter against his forehead, his grin only seemed to get wider and wider.

"So, it would appear someone doesn't like what I'm doing. Very well, we'll see who will get who first." It was then something struck him as odd. Holding the letter close to his face, he took in a deep breath, instantly reaffirming what he thought. "Lilacs…" Thrusting the note into his pocket, he looked all around for any hint of someone's presence. Sensing no one, he hung his head in defeat. "So, if I want to meet this person, I should keep doing what I've been doing, but who should be next?" His gaze settled upon an old building, and a smile crept onto his face. "Perfect."

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Carefully examining his chair behind his desk, Iruka always hated this time of the year. Since he was a teacher, he was always prone to be the target of many a prank, and he always wished he would happen to get sick on this day, but he's never had the luck for it. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, he eased himself into his chair as he looked over the students' homework assignments.

"I have to admit, it got a lot easier to deal with this time of the year after Naruto graduated." Rubbing his eyes to get over his drowsiness, Iruka picked up a few papers from his desk and began shuffling through them. "Let's see, where should I begin?" As he looked closer at the papers, he started to realize something unusual about them. "Aburame…Inuzuka…Haruno…Nara…I'm not teaching any of these kids!" Throwing the papers down on his desk, he ruffled through some more, only to result in a similar frustration. "What the hell is going on?!"

Smacking his fist against his desk, it suddenly gave way as a leg fell out from underneath. As it tipped over, all his papers and books slid off, scattering on the floor. Surprised by the sudden destruction, Iruka tripped over his feet and fell back into his chair, only to have it give way beneath him as he crashed to the floor. As the dust began to settle, a lone note fluttered down from the ceiling, landing square on his forehead. Holding it out at a distance so he could read it, Iruka nearly popped a vein in his neck.

"NARUTO!!"

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Laughing as he heard Iruka's shouting from inside the Academy, Naruto leapt to his feet and began walking around the building. Shuffling his feet, he suddenly heard something moving behind him. Twisting around, he searched for any presence, but he found none.

"Okay, this is getting weird. Who's following me? Is it Kakashi-sensei?" Pushing the thoughts to the back of his mind, he turned back toward the training fields and began walking again. As he brushed by the building, he noticed something odd about the wall. "What's this?" Looking closer, he could see an envelope stuck to the brick mortar. Pulling it off the building, he slid his finger under the flap, opening it in one quick motion, unfolding it for his eyes to see.

_To my dearest Naruto-kun,_

_I see you have decided to walk along the path of danger. Fist you deceive Sakura and Tsunade-sama, and now you mischievously played a prank on the man who taught you how to become a shinobi. Despite all this, I find it amusing to watch you perform these feats of trickery. I suppose I will continue to watch you a bit longer until I see whom you decide to plot against next. Just know this: I have you right where I want you._

Closing his eyes, Naruto held the note up to his nose, allowing the sweet aroma to enter his nostrils. The grin never left his face as he walked toward the forest, his eyes taking in anything and everything.

"I'm getting closer to figuring this out. If the person's words he writes on paper are the same as the ones he uses to speak, then these letters are either written by Kakashi-sensei, Shikamaru or Shino. Shino wouldn't find playing a prank to be interesting, and Shikamaru would only deem it troublesome. This means it can only be…" All of the sudden his thoughts were interrupted when he heard a sudden gasp behind him. Twirling around in the forest, he suddenly saw something shaking behind a tree not to far away. Smirking to himself, he calmly walked toward the person who was watching him.

"Oi, Hinata! You can come out now! I know you're there!" Resting his hands on his hips, his evil thoughts kept running though his minds. '_Hinata would be such an easy target for a prank. What should I do…_' Watching her step out from behind the tree, he felt his smile grow even toothier. Her long, bluish hair reaching the small of her back and her bangs framing her face, even he noticed how cute she was. Seeing her clasp her hands behind her back, he couldn't help but realize she was avoiding eye contact.

"O-ohayo, N-Naruto-kun. H-how are you?" Almost instantly after hearing her voice, any thought he had of tricking the Hyuuga heiress was shoved out of his mind. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Naruto greeted her with a wave as she walked toward him.

"Ohayo, Hinata! I'm feeling great today! How about you?" Seeing her face turn red, he suddenly felt worried for her. "Ne, are you sick? You shouldn't be outside if you're not feeling well." Noticing her shake her head, the blood drained from her cheeks as her skin turned its normal color.

"I-I'm okay, N-Naruto-kun. I w-was just training." Seeing her dig the toe of her sandal in the dirt, he decided against trying to play a prank on her.

"Training this early? You must really want to impress someone." For the first time her eyes met his, and he saw her turn a thousand shades of red. Slowly she nodded her head, and he gave her a thumbs up. "I'm sure you'll get whoever it is to notice you soon! You're really strong, Hinata, so you've got nothing to worry about! Wait, why are you falling over?!"

If he hadn't been there, Hinata would have hit the trunk of a tree when her knees gave way as she fainted. Catching her in his arms, he gently held her as he thought of what to do. It was then he discovered something that sparked his interest.

"She smells like…lilacs…" His eyes going wide, he had to be sure. Gently sniffing her hair again, he had confirmed what he had thought. "There's no mistaking it, but why would Hinata…" Shaking the idea out of his head, his mind was running at a mile a minute. "No, Hinata's really nice, and she isn't the kind of person to pull a prank. Someone must have decided to frame her by making me think she wrote those letters!" Grinning at his deductive abilities, he searched around for anyone present. "Whoever it is, he's very tricky. He's almost got a mind as clever as mine."

"Oi, Naruto! What are you doing with Hinata?!" Nearly dropping the sleeping kunoichi in his arms, he smiled when he saw who it was.

"Kiba! Great timing! Hinata just fell over! I think she's sick!" The shinobi was riding on the back of his enormous dog, and as they leapt out into the clearing Naruto could have sworn he felt the ground shake. As the dog walked up to him, however, he was unable to prevent him from landing a big, wet lick on his cheek. "It's nice to see you too, Akamaru."

"So, were you and Hinata on a date?" Completely surprised by his question, Naruto almost fainted himself.

"Me and Hinata? On a date?! I just met her and she fell over!" Kiba only seemed to laugh at his answer.

"April Fools, Naruto. Seriously, you must have lost your touch." Biting his tongue, Naruto kept from retorting. Instead, he let a smirk enter his face.

"Just you wait, Kiba. You'll get yours soon enough." Lifting Hinata up in his arms, Naruto carried her over to Akamaru and laid her down on his back. "So, can you take care of her for me? I have to go see Kakashi-sensei." Surprised entering his eyes, Kiba simply smiled and nodded.

"No problem, Naruto. I was looking for her anyway since Shino was getting impatient to start our training for today. I better get out of here before he gets all buggy." Sharing a grin with him, Naruto waved as Kiba and Akamaru ran through the forest.

"Okay, now it's time to go work on my plan…"

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"Where is it?!" Scanning the forest floor with his Sharingan, Kakashi had never been so aroused before. Leaping from tree branch to tree branch, he had been in a fit of rage ever since he woke up that morning. Realizing that it was now in the middle of the afternoon, he couldn't believe he had to cancel his training with Naruto and Sakura for the day. "Where could I have lost it?!" Coming to a halt at the edge of the forest and the training grounds, he felt himself slouch against the base of a tree.

"Oi! Kakashi-sensei!" Looking across the clearing, he could see a large orange blob walking toward him. Sighing heavily, he raised his hand to greet his student.

"Naruto, could you come here for a second?" Confused by his question, the blonde shinobi came to a stop right by his jounin instructor.

"What is it?" Before he could finish his sentence, Kakashi grabbed Naruto by the collar of his jacket and pulled his face so close to his that their noses were almost touching.

"Tell me! Do you know where it is?!"

"What are you talking about?!"

"Don't play dumb with me, Naruto! You know exactly what I'm talking about!"

"Why would I be playing dumb?! I have no idea what you're blabbering about!!"

"Yes you do! I saw you take it!!"

"Take what?!"

"My limited edition Volume Four of Icha Icha Paradise!! I saw you take it, and now I want you to give it back to me!" Suddenly Naruto stopped struggling as a fox like grin spread across his face. A surprised look crossed Kakashi's face as the Naruto he held in his fists exploded into a cloud of dust. "Kage Bunshin?" Twisting around, he saw Naruto standing a few feet behind him.

"Is this what you were talking about, Kakashi-sensei?" The jounin's eyes went wide as he saw the book Naruto was holding. What made him even more worried, however, was the exploding tag that was strapped to the cover. Holding out his hand to plead with him, Naruto's grin only grew wider.

"Naruto, wait! Don't do it! I'll do anything, just don't ignite that tag!" Slowly walking toward the young shinobi, Kakashi was grateful that he didn't make any effort to get away.

"Now, what fun would that be? It'd only be justice if I get rid of this book. Maybe then you'll take the time to actually train me." Unable to read Naruto's expression, Kakashi could see the glint in his eyes.

"Naruto, I beg of you, just put the book down, and I promise I won't do anything to you." As if at once, his grin turned into a scowl.

"Will you stop writing those letters saying you'll get me and admit that I got you first?" Staring quizzically at the boy, Kakashi looked him square in the eye.

"What are you talking about? What letters?" Clenching the book tighter in his hand, Naruto narrowed his eyes at his sensei.

"You should know exactly what I'm talking about! I've read two of them already, and I know you're the one who wrote them!"

"Naruto, calm down. What letters are you talking about?" Taking a deep breath, the young shinobi held back from snapping back.

"Earlier today I found two letters addressed to me, each one saying that someone was watching me and would eventually get me back. I recognized the way of writing it as yours, so I know you're the one behind it all!" Grinding his teeth, Naruto was shocked to see Kakashi sigh.

"Naruto, when did you receive these letters?" Confused by the question, he was at a loss of words while he tried to comprehend what he was asked.

"Ano, they were both before eight if I had to guess. What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, when have you ever seen me before nine in the morning?" Naruto opened his mouth to respond, but suddenly held back as he closed his mouth.

"So…it wasn't you? But then…who?" Taking a step toward his student, Kakashi reached out for his book.

"Now that you know it wasn't me playing a trick on you, can I please have my Icha Icha Paradise back?" Looking at the jounin, Naruto looked back and forth between the book and the man before him. Suddenly a huge grin spread across his face yet again.

"You know, Kakashi-sensei, I've never really cared for these books. I think I'd be doing the world a favor if I destroyed this one…" Kakashi's eyes went wide as he saw the mischievous look on Naruto's face.

"Naruto, don't!!" The words left his mouth too late as the book exploded in a fiery blaze. Watching the embers fall from Naruto's hand, Kakashi fell to his knees and held his head with his hands. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"April Fools, Kakashi-sensei." Looking up at Naruto, he eyes fell on his hand, where his book was in perfect condition. "You're so gullible, sensei." Holding the book out so Kakashi could grab it, the jounin hastily swiped it from Naruto and wrapped his arms around it, holding it in a loving manner.

"Arigato, Naruto. You don't know how much this book means to me." The smirk that entered his face sent shivers down Kakashi's spine.

"Oh, I think I know. That's why you're going to be so pissed at me after I do this." Confused by his words, Kakashi felt his heart stop as the Naruto he was talking to exploded into another cloud of smoke, only to see his book follow suit.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!" Pounding his fist into the ground, Kakashi felt tears streaming down his cheeks. "Why, Kami-sama?! Why?!" Clutching the grass in his fists, Kakashi quickly leapt to his feet and searched for the real Naruto.

"April Fools again, Kakashi-sensei!!" Hearing Naruto's boisterous laughter echoing through the forest, he could sense well over a thousand clones surrounding him. Feeling his heart sink, he realized it was going to be a long day if the real Naruto didn't want to be found. "Relax, Kakashi-sensei, I never took the book. It's still in your weapons pouch." Eyes going wide, Kakashi reached into his pocket, his fingers brushing against an extremely familiar texture. Pulling it out, he breathed a huge sigh of relief as he sat down against a tree. "You know what they say. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. You're too easy of a target, Kakashi-sensei." When the jounin refused to respond, Naruto simply dissipated his clones and ran off into the forest.

"If it wasn't Kakashi-sensei…then who?"

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_To my dearest Naruto-kun,_

_By now you probably still haven't figured out who I am. Perhaps you have, but maybe I put on an act so convincing that you dismissed me as a suspect? Either way, you're still very well in my grasp. If you quit your ploy on this day of April Fools, I'll let you off the hook and you will no longer have to worry. If your love for the game, however, is too great to ignore, then know that I will put you in your place. You will not get another chance. Are you feeling lucky, Naruto-kun?_

"Getting cocky, huh? I'll show whoever this is who the ultimate prankster is!" Forming a handseal, Naruto began molding his chakra. "Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Immediately he was surrounded by nearly a thousand clones, each one looking eager to begin the preparations. "I'll show everyone that Uzumaki Naruto is still the most unpredictable shinobi ever…"

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"Where is that Naruto?!" Several shinobi arrived at a clearing, each one with a killer intent for the blonde shinobi. Looking around, Sakura could see each one of her peers were ticked off.

"Sakura! Where's that dobe teammate of yours?!" Looking over at Ino, the pink haired kunoichi met her steely gaze with one of her own.

"How should I know? He suckered me into a prank on Tsunade-sama and he set it up in a way that made it seem like I did it! I'm still sore from the beating she gave me after Naruto made me wreck her office!" Her grimace seemed to ignite the flames in the others as they all began arguing at once.

"That's nothing compared to what he did to me! He somehow got into my family's shop without my knowing and hooked the gardening hose up to the sewage system! The entire shop smells terrible!"

"That's far from horrible! Naruto somehow ate every last potato chip in the entire village! He knows I need them to train!"

"All your complaints are so troublesome. He poured water all over my favorite place to gaze at the clouds, so when I laid back I got drenched in mud."

"You're all delusional! That bastard put thick wax all over the corridors in the Hyuuga Clan estate, so everyone is slipping and sliding into walls and doors! The cost to replace the rice paper doors is enough to set our entire clan's budget back a month!"

"He hid magnets all over the forest area where I train! I can't get any of my weapons off of them!"

"He hid my green leotard! How am I supposed to face Gai-sensei now? I feel so naked!"

"Everybody be quiet!" Attention focusing entirely on Sakura, she looked at all of their disgruntled faces. "Where's Team Eight? Didn't Naruto prank them too?" Murmuring spread throughout the shinobi present, but each one had no clue what had happened to the rest of their friends. Neji was the first to speak.

"I haven't seen Hinata-sama all morning, but her room was the only one to remain untouched by Naruto. I think she's been out training since dawn." After hearing that, Shikamaru seemed to remember something as a spark ignited in his eye.

"Actually, I think I remember hearing Kiba talking to Shino about a prank he wanted to pull on Naruto. I didn't hear the details, but maybe they're trying to set him up somewhere…"

"Oi! What are all of you guys doing here?" Looking up at the new voice, everyone had a surprised look on their faces. Sakura was the first to speak up.

"Kiba?! Shino?! Did Naruto prank you two as well?" Kiba seemed confused by her question, but Shino remained as stoic as ever in his green trench coat. Suddenly Kiba laughed and waved his hand in front of his face.

"Oh, no, nothing like that. Shino and I have been avoiding him all day."

"So were you setting up to trick him like Shikamaru said?" Kiba and Shino looked at each other, and then Kiba burst out laughing again.

"Of course not. Everyone here knows Naruto is the king of April Fools. No matter how hard any of us tried, he could always outsmart us." Looking at the two of them, something seemed to interest Sakura.

"Ano, where's Hinata?" For a second Kiba hesitated, but a wide grin soon spread across his face.

"I wonder…"

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Trudging through the streets, the sun was slowly setting. His heart resting in the pits of his stomach, Naruto had never thought his favorite holiday would turn out like this. Clenching the letter in his hand, he couldn't rid his nostrils of the smell of lilacs. Opening it up yet again, he read the contents to make sure he had it right.

_To my dearest Naruto-kun,_

_Your path has been set, your fate has been sealed. I warned you, but you decided that the grandeur of today was too exquisite to skip out on. You think of yourself as the King of Fools, as no one could touch you. However, you never counted on me, and I will bring you some much needed humiliation. I will get you to acknowledge me. _

_If you want to face me, you must find me. What I say will not be a trap, so feel free to be entirely trusting of me until I say otherwise. Meet me at where you became a genin. Only when you are there will everything be revealed to you._

Before him were three large posts, where fond memories flooded back to him. Memories of his growth and of Team Seven. Walking up to the logs, he still hadn't figured out who it really was that was following him

'_It has to be Sakura-chan or Kakashi-sensei, because no one else would think to come to this place, only…it doesn't make sense. Kakashi-sensei proved it wasn't him earlier, and Sakura-chan wouldn't go to this length just to fool me. So who is it?_' Coming to a halt, he noticed something odd about the middle post. "What's this?" Pulling a piece of paper off the log, he could barely read it in the red light of the end of the day.

_To my dearest Naruto-kun,_

_The day is coming to an end, the time for fun and games is just about over. I hope I lead you though an enjoyable journey, and if I'm correct you still haven't figured out who I am. Everything will be revealed soon. Now that you hold this piece of paper, at the stroke of midnight, no matter where you go, you will witness a grand explosion._

"What?" Confused by the riddle, he turned it over in hopes of seeing something new, but as he did he felt his entire body go numb. Stuck to the back of the letter was an exploding tag. "What the hell is this?!" Trying desperately to get rid of the paper, he soon discovered that it was stuck to his fingers. Panicking, he tried to tear it with his fingers, even cut it with a kunai, but it was to no avail. "Am I really going to die here? Why would anyone go this far for a prank?" Cowering in defeat, he leaned against the post, waiting for the end of the day…the end of his life.

--------------------

"It's almost midnight. At least if I'm here, no one will be around when I go. No one's in any danger now…" Closing his eyes, he felt his tears beginning to stream down his cheeks. "There's so much I wanted to do before I died. Become Hokage. Create my own flavor of ramen and name it after myself. Find a place I truly belong…" Brushing the tears away, he put on the best smile he could, trying to fool the world.

"I'm so pathetic. My whole life I hid my pain from everyone, never letting a single person in on my deepest fears." Gripping the grass beneath him, he slowly opened his eyes, his tears stinging them, unable to control himself. "If only…if only I had a little bit longer…" Pulling out the pocket watch he had brought, he felt his heart drop lower than it ever had before. "Only fifteen seconds left? Is this how my life will really end?"

…ten…

'_Tsunade-baa-chan, you better let Konohamaru become Hokage after you…_'

…nine…

'_Shikamaru…Ino…Chouji…you three better stay as close as you are right now…_'

…eight…

'_Neji…Lee…Tenten…the three of you will go far, I'm sure of it. If only I could have seen…_'

…seven…

'_Kiba…Shino…Akamaru…if only we had more time together, I'd see just how much you three have improved…_'

…six…

'_Ero-senin…no…Jiraiya…I hope you can find peace after all those women you peep on get their revenge on you…_'

…five…

'_Konohamaru…you better be a better Hokage than even your grandfather was…_'

…four…

'_Kakashi-sensei…Sakura-chan…Sasuke-teme…I hope the three of you will meet again…for my sake…_'

…three…

'_Do I really have nothing else to wish for?…_'

…two…

'…_Hinata…how could I forget you?…_'

…one…

'…_Hinata…_'

A pair of lips caressed his own, sending shivers down his spine as it warmed his whole body. Savoring the taste, he had never had felt the joy of what they tasted like before. Feeling a pair of arms wrap around him, Naruto felt something in the back of his mind. '_What is so familiar about this?…It's…it's…lilacs…_'

Slowly his eyes fluttered open, and what he saw was the last thing he ever would have suspected, but he had never felt as happy as he did right then. Reaching out toward her, he gently caressed her blushing cheek, brushing her bluish hair out of her face, her lavender eyes shining in the moonlight.

"Hinata…what's going on?"

"April Fools, Naruto-kun." Shocked by her words, everything started coming together in his mind.

"Hinata…you wrote all those letters? That was you all along?" Watching her nod, he thought he should have anger that she toyed with him for the whole day, but all that flowed through his veins was a sheer happiness, unlike any he had felt before. "Why did you do it?" Noticing that she didn't make eye contact, he gently cupped her chin and raised her head, showing her a genuine smile. "I promise, I won't be mad."

"I-I did it so you would notice me…" Confused, Naruto didn't know what to make of what she said.

"What are you talking about, Hinata? I always notice you!" Despite his grin, she held a sad look in her eyes as she shook her head.

"You don't notice me the way I want you to…" His eyes wide open, he remembered her words from earlier. "I did this because I want you to acknowledge my deepest desire…"

"Hinata…" His words were muffled as she pressed her lips against his, holding him tight against her, her tears staining his cheeks, tracing his whisker marks. Slowly she pushed herself up, gazing into his cerulean blue eyes, brushing his tears away.

"Naruto-kun, I…I've always wanted to…wanted to tell you how I really feel. Ever since the day I met you, I knew…I knew you were special to me! You always believed in me…always cared for me…that's why…that's why I love you!" Stunned by her words, Naruto couldn't move a muscle as he looked up at her pained face.

"Hinata…" Realizing it must have taken everything she had to say what she did, he still felt something tickling the back of his mind. "This isn't an April Fool's joke, is it?" She seemed hurt by his question, but she quickly shook her head.

"Naruto-kun, it isn't April Fools day anymore. That's why I waited until after midnight to tell you, so you'd know it wasn't a joke." Feeling her continuous stream of tears fall from her chin onto his face, he knew she meant what she said.

"You really love me?"

"With all of my heart, Naruto-kun. I love you so much." Smiling at her answer, he gently brushed his hand against her cheek. Lifting his head up, he drew her lips into a kiss, never wanting to let go of the wonderful embrace. It was there they lay, their kiss never breaking, the night never ending, their love never fading. It was then that they both knew that they had found what they had been missing all their life.


End file.
